


Running With the Wolves

by Sicarix



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Praimfaya | Radiation Wave, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Fix-It of Sorts, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-20
Updated: 2018-09-15
Packaged: 2019-06-30 02:05:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15741921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sicarix/pseuds/Sicarix
Summary: Murphy meets a strange man in the forest after escaping from the Grounders, who shows him a whole other side to earth. Turns out the earth got a whole lot more magical after the bombs fell, and a whole lot more dangerous. The 100 and the Ark don't know what's about to hit them.An AU in which werewolves, vampires and other magical creatures exist, having come out of hiding after the bombs fell and integrated with Grounder society. Murphy-centric, beginning after the Grounders release him in season 1.All ships tagged are endgame





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fic for the 100, and the first fic i've posted in years. It's very much unBeta'd 
> 
> Hope you guys enjoy this.

To say Murphy was not having a good day was a fucking understatement. It wasn’t enough that he’d been kicked out by his own people cause some little shit couldn’t handle being on the ground, or that he’d been captured and tortured for nearly 3 days. No, just when he’d been able to escape, the universe had to continue to fuck his shit up. He’d sprinted as fast as he could away from the camp once he’d noticed the door to his cage open, and in his haste he hadn’t noticed the tree stump. So now here he was, hunched over in some bushes, trying not to scream because he’s pretty sure his ankle is broken. A sitting duck for the Grounder’s to come and take him back to the camp and continue taking him apart piece by piece. 

“I can see you, you know” said a strangely accented voice somewhere behind Murphy. He whirled around, as best as he could with his leg, to face the man crouching behind him. Murphy cursed his lack of a weapon as he scrambled away, until he got his back up against a tree. At least this guy didn’t look like a Grounder, in fact he didn’t look or sound like anyone Murphy had met before. Murphy could tell he was tall even when crouched, and well built too, solid but not obscenely so. He wasn’t carrying any weapons that Murphy could see, or wearing armour, just a simple green top, dark jacket and pants. He looked scruffy, but not unkempt, and he was staring at Murphy, head cocked slightly, looking somehow amused at the situation. Murphy immediately distrusted him. 

But then, that wasn’t new. 

The man huffed slightly, furrowing his brows. He looked almost confused, like he’d expected something other than fear from Murphy after fucking sneaking up on him. Despite his heart hammering a mile a minute, Murphy managed to paint a pretty decent snarl onto his face. Maybe if he seemed like he’d put up a fight, the guy would decide Murphy wasn’t worth the effort, of doing whatever he was planning with him, and then he’d leave. It was a shit plan, but right now it was all he got. 

“Ah, it’s okay, I’m not gonna hurt you. Do you speak English? If not, then this is a bit awkward” This Fucker said, as casual as if he was commenting on the weather. If this guy was a Grounder, he was definitely the weirdest one Murphy had met so far. Although he didn’t seem like he was about to drag Murphy away and tear his fingernails off, so maybe points for that? Murphy scowled deeper, shifted slightly and then winced as his leg screamed at him. Obviously, this guy wasn’t from the camp Murphy just came from, otherwise he’d know Murphy could speak. So maybe he could help. In any case, it couldn’t really hurt to talk to this guy. 

“Yeah, I fucking know English” Murphy spat out, internally wincing. Nice job jackass, now he’s definitely going to want to help you, cause you’re so nice and all. He tensed, expecting the worst, but the guy only cracked a wider smile. His posture relaxed, and he sat back a bit on his haunches. 

“That’s good. I’d hate to have assumed wrong about something that important, so thank you” He seemed to be joking, or trying to. His voice was deep, but the way he spoke sounded almost musical. It was weirdly soothing, but Murphy didn’t let himself get caught up in it. No matter how harmless this man seemed, there was something off about him, something that got Murphy’s hackles raised. Even relaxed, he looked like he was ready to spring into action at a moments notice, and those kinds of muscles didn’t come from nowhere. Murphy had dealt with a lot of dangerous types in the past, and this guy, crouching there weaponless, screamed Dangerous. 

“Who are you?” Murphy croaked out, his voice catching at the end. He started coughing and tried to muffle it in the back of his hand, but it wasn’t stopping. He could feel his ribs protesting, lungs squeezing as he tried desperately to draw in air, and all he could think of was what a way to die. Not even at the hands of this stranger, or the grounders, but choking to death on fucking nothing. Then there was a canteen at his mouth, gentle but firm hands tipping his head back enough to let the water trickle inside. Murphy tried to struggle, but all that achieved is the strangers grip tightening, and the water is helping, so Murphy lets it happen. He would be mortified if he hadn’t lost his shame years ago. Eventually the coughs subside, and the canteen retreats but the hands stay. Murphy forces himself to look up, into the man’s eyes. He’s shocked to find that they’re a bright yellow. The sides of his dark brown hair are shaved, but part of what’s left has fallen into the mans face. Even so, Murphy can still make out far more of his face now that he’s up close. He’s got several large scars going from the upper right side of his cheek cutting across his nose and down to the left edge of his lips. It looks like he got clawed badly by an animal with very sharp claws. Murphy shudders to think what could’ve caused that kind of damage. It looks old, and well healed, and Murphy finds that he doesn’t really mind it. On someone else it might’ve looked disfiguring, but this fucking guy manages to pull it off and still look pretty handsome.  
Not that Murphy’s thinking about that kinda stuff. 

He managed to get out a quiet “thanks”, careful to not start another bought of coughing. The stranger smiled again, giving him a gentle pat on the head before releasing him and leaning back.  
“No worries” He sobers slightly, giving Murphy a once over. He tries not to shrink back too hard. “Damn, they really did a number on you, didn’t they” Murphy is immediately tense, reminded once again of why he’s out here in this fucking forest with this weirdly hot guy. 

The stranger shakes his head, as though he’s shaking water off after a shower and locks eyes with Murphy. 

“To answer your previous question, you can call me Kay. What can I call you?” And wasn’t it just hilarious that this is the question that has Murphy stumped. The Grounder’s hadn’t asked his name, and usually by the time someone new at the Skybox met him, they’d heard about him beforehand. Murphy hadn’t had to introduce himself to someone new in god knows how long, and now he’s taken way too long to answer and it’s getting weird. 

“Murphy” he blurts out, trying not to focus on how his voice wavers, or how warmly the stranger, no, Kay smiles at him or how his everything hurts, or just anything really. 

“Well, Murphy, you look pretty banged up. I can help you find your way to wherever it is you were going, or you can come with me and I can get you patched up. Your call” Kay shrugs, his golden eyes burning into Murphy’s. And Murphy does consider it, he really tries to. He could go back to the Dropship, and maybe they’ll help him, maybe they’ll look at the shit he’s been through and have mercy. 

Who the fuck is he kidding. Most likely, he’ll show up, they’ll take one look at his sorry state and laugh a bit before kicking him out again. Murphy’s pretty sure Kay isn’t a Grounder at this point. He could be pretending to be nice to get Murphy back to camp and torture him some more, but why go to that effort when he could just hoist Murphy over one shoulder and drag him back. It’s not like he’s in any shape to resist. And Kay’s been nothing but nice to him. He could’ve left him in the forest, could’ve snuck up and Murphy wouldn’t have noticed till he had a knife in his back, Kay could’ve not offered him water. Murphy knows he’s just being stubborn at this point. There isn’t any good reason to not go with Kay. He’s dead meat on his own, and hey, if Kay wants to waste healing supplies on him he sure isn’t gonna complain. 

“I’ll come with you” And goddam, if he thought Kay was smiling before, he was wrong. The man was practically beaming, like Murphy just gave him a cake rather than agreeing to let him heal him. 

Kay nodded once decisively before straightening up, and of course Murphy was right about him being tall. Kay paused for a second, looked up into the sky and frowned, before giving Murphy another once over. 

“Where do it hurt most? The leg?” Murphy nodded, gritting his teeth. Kay hummed to himself. 

“Alright, there’s not much daylight left, and I don’t think being out after dark tonight is a good idea. We’ll go faster and run less of a risk of hurting the leg more if I’m in my fur” He gave Murphy a toothy grin, and before Murphy could ask what the fuck that last part was, Kay shucked off his top and pants, and Murphy’s brain short circuited. 

And then also shat itself when Kays skin began to ripple and shift, bones cracking as his jaw elongated and fur sprouted over his body, and in less than five seconds a giant beast was standing on four paws where Kay had been. The things mouth opened, tongue lolling out and exposing rows of razor sharp teeth. Murphy’s brain reasserted itself enough to scream RUN at him, but again his fucking leg betrayed him, and all he managed to do was fall over onto his back and start trying to scramble away. He vaguely felt himself start babbling, incoherent with fear as the beast just stared at him. It took a hesitant step forwards, and Murphy couldn’t contain his involuntary whimper. The beast paused then, and then shook itself, a shudder going through it as the fur shucked off. Murphy blinked, and then Kay was standing there again, pulling on his pants. 

“Hey, hey hey, it’s okay. Jesus Christ Murphy, it’s okay, I’m here, I ain’t gonna hurt you” Kay hunched down again, keeping his distance, voice quiet and gentle. This wasn’t happening. 

“What. The fuck. Was that?” Murphy ground out, stopping his desperate crawl away. He could feel the involuntary tears leaking from his eyes, every part of his body tense with pain and fear. 

“You haven’t seen someone shift before?’ Kay looked actually confused, like he hadn’t just been replaced by some monstrous thing and had expected Murphy not to freak out. Who the fuck was this guy? There had to be some way this made sense, but Murphy wasn’t seeing it. 

“You put something in that fuckin water didn’t you! You or the Grounders or something” 

“What? No, Murphy, I haven’t drugged you. I’m a werewolf” Kay said, like that was supposed to explain everything. 

“Oh, yeah, that makes total sense, you’re a mythical beast. That’s what you’re going with.” Murphy couldn’t help but laugh. Kay looked almost hurt, before his expression cleared and he slapped the palm of his hand to his face. 

“You’re one of the Sky people” Kay peeked through his fingers, eyeing Murphy like he was expecting a response. Murphy nodded before he could stop himself. Kay went back to covering his face, this time with both hands. “You don’t have werewolves in space, and no ones told you about them now that you’re here” Murphy shook his head slowly, still so utterly confused. Kay seemed to have sensed Murphy’s nod, as he dragged his hands down his face, looking very much like he had made a horrible mistake. 

“Well. It appears we have a whole lot to talk about”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those wondering Kay's accent is Welsh. 
> 
> Comments and constructive criticism are always welcome =)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Murphy gets some answers and a whole lot more questions, and the two reach an agreement. 
> 
> He does not stop having a heart attack every few seconds, but that's probably a pretty normal reaction.

Kay had officially won the award for biggest understatement of the year. Murphy had so many questions, but before he could organise his brain enough to decide which one to start with, Kay held up one hand.

“However, I don’t think it’s the best idea to do this here. We should head to my place”

“What? No way! You’re probably going to eat me!” Murphy winced. He hadn’t really meant to say that out loud, but he figured it was a legitimate concern.

Kay pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled, before speaking in a slow, forcibly calm voice, as though explaining to a child that an oven is hot and will burn you if you touch it.

“Murphy, I am not going to eat you. We don’t eat people.” Kay paused, considering. “Well, okay, I don’t eat people. I can’t speak for the rest of my species. But in general, most of the wolves I know don’t eat people”

“You’re being really convincing right now” Murphy snarked. Kay looked as though he might protest, but thought better of it, sighing.

“I know. You have very little right to trust me. But I can help you Murphy, not just with the injuries. I can fill you in on what you’ve missed.” Kay tilted his head, considering something. Slowly, as though he was still deciding on what words to use, he added “And I guess it still kinda is my job” He laughed, before shaking himself away from whatever he was thinking. As in literally shaking himself. Murphy sensed this was a habit for him, or perhaps a nervous tic. It was kinda ridiculously endearing either way. Murphy was honestly pretty annoyed that he could still like this guy, after the whole turning-into-a-giant-wolf-thing.

“Your job?” Murphy raised an eyebrow. Kay sighed again.

“Yeah. We can add that to the list of things to be explained, but for now we need to get moving if we want to make it to a safe place before nightfall.” Kay sought Murphy’s eyes out, making sure to maintain eye contact. It was a bit intense, if Murphy was honest. Kay continued, holding his hands with the palms up, probably trying to be as unintimidating as possible. It was a valiant effort.

“Look Murphy, I promise you that you will come to no further harm while you’re with me. I will do my best to patch you up, and then guide you to where ever it is you want to go afterwards. And I know this must be super confusing for you, so I’ll explain as much as I can”

And Murphy really wanted that to be true. That some handsome man would appear out of the forest and offer to help, with seemingly no ulterior motives. Kay seemed serious and honest, no hint of a lie Murphy could detect, but there was no way it could be this easy. How could Kay be so trusting of him, could offer to take him into his home and care for Murphy without knowing jack shit about him? None of it made sense.

“Why?” Murphy croaked out. Kay’s brows furrowed and he inclined his head.

“Why what?” Murphy shook his head in disbelief.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Can I not just want to help?” He replied, a teasing grin emerging. Murphy leveled him with the most unimpressed look he could muster. The grin slid away.

“I do genuinely want to help you Murphy. But” Kay bit his lip “It doesn’t hurt that I’m kind of contractually obliged to. It’s complicated, and I will explain all about that later if you want. Also, I have to admit, I’m kind of curious about where you’ve come from and how you got here. Exchange of information and all that” 

Ah. That made a bit more sense. Kay did want something after all, and was willing to help Murphy to get it. He relaxed a touch. After all, it wasn’t like Murphy hadn’t spent the last day or so telling the Grounders everything they wanted to know. The cat was out of the bag, no sense in trying to stuff it back in at the cost of potential help. And Murphy really did need all of this shit explained, especially the how and why of Kay’s apparent obligation to help him. It seemed like more than a fair trade in his favour. He nodded slowly, mind made up. Kay’s grin brightened again, looking determined.

“I take it that’s a yes?” Murphy nodded again, more decisively this time. Kay clapped his hands together, before straightening up again and dusting his pants off.

“Alright so, quick crash course. I won’t be able to speak in wolf form, but I am fully conscious and as intelligent as I am right now. I’ll help you up, and then once I’m turned you can just hop on. Make sure you’re in a comfortable position before we head off, and hold on tight. I’ll be going fairly quickly, so falling off would be bad. If you need to stop at any point just yell out. Please don’t pull on my fur, that does actually hurt. Anything else?” his head was swimming, but he managed to shake his head, trying to take in the rapidfire information.

“Here we go then.” Kay smiled, and moved slowly over to where he was sprawled on the ground. Murphy tried not to flinch too much, especially when Kay stepped behind him and put his arms under his armpits. Murphy attempted to push himself up, but Kay didn’t seem to need the help, lifting him easily off the ground and standing him upright next to a tree. His vision blurred and he sagged into Kay’s arms. Kay’s grip tightened, and he murmured something encouraging. Murphy didn’t bother focusing on the exact words. His leg was protesting a little too much for anything else to come through. Kay waited until he seemed stable enough, and let go slowly, not moving too far away.

“You’ll probably want to look away for this part, the shift isn’t exactly the most pleasant thing to look at” Kay quipped. Murphy rolled his eyes, but shut them all the same. He wasn’t exactly eager to watch that again. He heard some quiet shuffling, and then nothing.

He almost jumped out of his skin when he felt something cold and wet nudge his hand, eyes flying open. Right next to him was the beast, no, the Wolf from before. Murphy tried his best to school his breathing, to not panic again, which was helped a bit when the wolf backed off, sensing his need for space. Now that he wasn’t utterly consumed with fear and trying to get away, he could make out more of the wolf. It was big even with him standing up, the tips of its ears almost reaching his shoulders, and it looked solid. Its fur was thick, the same dark brown as Kay’s hair, and the eyes were the exact same shade of yellow, except bigger and brighter. They almost seemed to glow in the slowly fading sunlight. He could vaguely make out the lines of Kay’s scar carved across the wolfs snout.

He took another deep breath. It hadn’t eaten him yet. Think of the positives Murphy. Do not think of the sharp teeth and the sharp claws and how it could tear you to shreds in seconds oh my god okay just stop thinking.  
Murphy took another couple of seconds. The wolf did nothing except stare.

“Okay, I’m good. Get over here” He managed to get out, surprised at how even his voice was. The wolf made a small sound, dipping its head down as it padded over to Murphy and positioned itself side on to him. Another slow breath, and he extended one shaking hand out to rest in the wolf fur. Up till this point he hadn’t fully accepted that he wasn’t having some drugged-up fever dream, but now he was certain. This really was happening. The fur felt soft and thick against his palm, and he could feel the rise and fall of the wolfs back as it breathed.

He dug his fingers in a little bit, leaning more into the wolf as it honest to god whined. He jerked back a little bit, but the wolf just sidled closer, leaning into his touch. His heart pounded in his chest, his leg ached, everything hurt, but in that moment none of it mattered. This was real. Murphy was actually touching a fucking werewolf. Murphy was petting a fucking werewolf and the fucking werewolf seemed to be enjoying it, judging by the little huffing noises it was making. He couldn’t help but giggle a touch hysterically to himself. The wolfs head turned at that, one amber eye blinking at him. It shrugged it’s shoulders a little bit, and he got the memo. No time to stand around.

“Yeah yeah, i’m getting there” Murphy muttered, wrenching his attention away from the wolfs head, and to its back. It was a bit above hip height, and he paused as he considered the logistics of how exactly to get on top. The wolf chuffed again, before leaning forward and down, so that its shoulders were low enough for him to get on without jostling his leg too much. He tried not to think too hard about what exactly he was doing. He was far too close to a panic attack as it was.

After a bit of scrambling around and probably too much fur pulling, he managed to get one leg over the wolfs body, and, leaning forward and putting all his weight onto the wolf, got situated on top. His leg felt like it was on fire by the time he was done, and it certainly hadn’t been graceful, but he was on. Murphy was sitting on top of a fucking werewolf.

Jesus Christ.

The wolf, which had been standing patiently in place for him to finish, slowly pushed itself into a standing position. He remembered just in time Kays instruction to hold on, and dug his hands into the wolfs fur. It didn’t seem to notice, and he exhaled heavily in relief. Bad idea to piss of the wolf while on top of it. He loosened his grip slightly, just in time for the wolf to start moving at a slow lope through the forest. Murphy yelped involuntarily, leaning down into the wolf, and it let out a barking noise that sounded weirdly like a laugh as it started to speed up.

Murphy had been concerned that the wolf wouldn’t be able to hold his weight, but it seemed to be doing fine, moving fast enough that Murphy couldn’t easily make out much of the surrounding forest. His leg was jostled around at first, and it was hard to adjust to the wolfs movement, but soon Murphy found his rhythm and the ride turned smooth.

The wolf seemed to notice his ease and sped up again, dashing over undergrowth and around trees, never hesitating or breaking its easy stride. Murphys heart pounded for an entirely different reason, and he couldn’t help but let out an excited whoop as the wolf jumped a fallen log, clearing it easily. The wolf responded in kind, throwing its head back and barking loudly as its paws pounded against the earth.

He leaned down into the fur of it’s neck, hands grasped tightly in its fur, and Murphy, for the first time in a long time, felt truly free.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait a bit before posting this chapter, but excitement got the better of me. 
> 
> Hope you guys are still enjoying it thus far, the funs only just begun. 
> 
> Still very much unBeta'd, so i do appreciate any and all feedback =)


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Murphy wakes in a strange place, and he and Kay learn more about each other.

Murphy awoke, and immediately was on edge. He was laying on something soft, it was quiet and dark. It felt like he was inside.

  
He tried to remember where he was and was coming up blank. The last thing he remembered was riding on the wolf. They’d ridden for hours, or at least it had felt like hours. He must have drifted off on its back, although how he had managed that without falling off escaped him.

  
He took stock of his injuries, and found that he didn’t hurt nearly as much as he should. His wounds had been cleaned and dressed with what felt like fresh bandages, and his leg felt pleasantly numb. He was dressed in a soft t-shirt and pants, and felt a cold spike of fear. Had Kay or someone else done something to him while he was asleep? Where were his clothes? More importantly, where was he? He chanced opening his eyes.

  
He was in a small room. The walls and ceiling were rough wood, and a woven rug covered the floor. He could make out drawings and posters on the walls, but not what they depicted, and a small table beside the bed. Apart from that the room was fairly bare. There were two small windows, both covered with thick fabric, but Murphy could see light peeking out through the cracks to the sides. Murphy had slept through the night, and possibly into the day. He would have felt disquieted if he didn’t feel so much better physically

  
Murphy sat up slowly, and did a quick check over his body. Nothing seemed amiss, his wounds did still smart when touched, and his chest felt tight, but it wasn’t the all-consuming pain of the day before. He let himself fall back onto the bed, tugging the soft blankets back over himself. It was definitely the comfiest place he’d slept in a while, and he was going to enjoy it while he had it.

  
He was startled into sitting up again as he heard a door open somewhere else in the building. He couldn’t help his pained whine as white-hot fire shot up his ribs into his head, and he tried to breathe through the pain. There was a pause, then a knock at the door to the room. Kay’s voice rang out.

  
“Murphy? You awake yet?” Murphy winced. He had wanted a little more time to explore, to figure out what he was going to say to Kay. He could pretend to still be asleep, but how long until Kay came knocking again? Better to just bite the bullet now and see what kinda situation he was in.

  
“Yep, I’m up” he called back through gritted teeth. The door swung open, silhouetting Kay in the doorway. He squinted against the sudden light in the room. Kay let out a startled “Oh”, and swiftly shut the door, making his way over to Murphy’s bedside.   
“You should probably not be sitting up just yet. Want me to get you some pillows?” Kay asked, mouth quirked up on one side, but worry plain in his eyes. He looked pretty much the same as he had the day before, except his hair was pulled back away from his face. He nodded, and Kay left the room briefly, returning with a number of large pillows and a glass of water. Kay set the water down on the table, and then helped Murphy get situated up against the wall at the head of the bed. The pillows were very fluffy, and Murphy could feel himself practically sinking into them, but it helped ease the pain. He tried to not to make eye contact with Kay throughout the whole process, already feeling awkward enough.

  
Kay finished arranging the pillows around Murphy and sat down at the foot of the bed, bringing his legs up and crossing them, palms resting on top of his knees. He seemed perfectly comfortable and at ease, yellow eyes glinting in the light trickling into the room. Murphy shuddered slightly.

  
“So...” Kay started, trailing off. “This is really weird, isn’t it?” he chuckled, closing his eyes. Murphy couldn’t help the slight smile that crept onto his face. Again, Kay proved himself the master of the understatement. Murphy shrugged, trying to go for casual, wiping the smile off his face as Kay opened his eyes again.

  
“I should ask, how are you feeling? Better than yesterday I hope” Murphy took the time to take a drink of water and clear his throat before answering. He almost missed the table when he went to place the glass back, and barely noticed Kay twitch forward before he relaxed again.

  
“Yeah, it doesn’t hurt as much.” He replied, voice still husky with sleep. Kay nodded.

  
“Good, that’s good.” Kay replied. “I was a bit worried after last night”

  
Murphy frowned.

  
“What... did happen? I don’t remember getting here.” He confessed cautiously. He sniffed, turning his head, trying to watch Kays reaction out of the corner of his eye. Kay just pursed his lips, otherwise not moving. He seemed so calm it was almost annoying, definitely hard to get a read on him. The dim light of the room wasn’t helping.

  
“I’m not surprised honestly. You passed out just as we were coming up to my house. I thought it’d be better to let your body rest, start the healing process. I figured you would wake up when I started cleaning your wounds, but you were dead to the world. I hope you don’t mind” Kay quieted, looking and sounding apologetic. Murphy shrugged again. It was good to get confirmation as to where he was, and he was glad for the sleep and the care. Not like he could change it now, even if he was uncomfortable at the thought of Kay seeing the multitude of wounds spanning his flesh.

  
“I’m sure you have a lot of questions, as do I” Kay inclined his head. “Would you like to do this here or in the living room? I have a pretty comfy couch, and I can whip you up some breakfast if you’re feeling up to it” At the mention of food Murphy’s stomach made sure it’s presence was known. He couldn’t remember the last thing he’d eaten. Kay laughed softly, as he sighed.

  
“Second one sounds good” he admitted begrudgingly.

  
Murphy started to try extricate himself from the embrace of the many pillows, and Kay sprung up to help. In no time, Murphy was upright, albeit with one of Kays arms around him for support so he didn’t have to put too much weight on his injured leg. Kays t-shirt cut off around the bicep, and he could feel the warmth of Kays skin through his shirt.

  
The door opened straight into the next room, and it took him a couple seconds to adjust to the light. It was easily three times the size of the bedroom he had been in, with lots of windows with the shutters open, sectioned off with a large bookcase full to bursting. On one side was a kitchen area, complete with a stovetop, fridge and sink, and the door to what Murphy assumed was outside. A large table took up most of the floorspace, currently covered with all manner of things, from electronics with exposed wires, to clothing, to a large sword in a leather scabbard. On the other side of the bookcase was a large, scuffed looking couch and a desk. A fireplace with a pot hanging over it sat dormant. There were two other doors leading off the living area, both shut. The walls of the space were covered similarly randomly to the table. Murphy could spot some drawings, old posters, animal heads and furs and a large cabinet next to the desk. The space looked colourful and cluttered and lived in, and it was unlike anything Murphy had ever seen, except in movies. He hadn’t thought something like this could still exist.

  
Kay led Murphy slowly over to the couch and set him down, propping his bad leg up and hurrying to retrieve some of the pillows from the other room. He seemed content to let Murphy examine the space, and moved over to the kitchen area. The bookshelf was positioned so that it only masked the view of the table from the rest of the room, so Murphy could still see him fine. He could also see the forest through the windows. The house was situated in a clearing, and he could see a bed of plants outside. The sun wasn’t too high in the sky, so it must still be morning. Murphy felt himself involuntarily relaxing. It was hard to be stressed in such an obviously cosy space as this, despite how alien it was.

  
“How’d you find this place?” he asked. Kay didn’t turn around, opening some of the cupboards and pulling various things out, but the pride in his voice was obvious.

  
“I built it. You like it?” Murphy smiled.

“Yeah” he swallowed. Kay did turn around then, a soft smile on his face, brandishing a wooden spoon. He looked so ridiculously domestic, it was hard to remember that this man had turned into a giant, scary animal last night.

  
“What’re you in the mood for? Pancakes, scrambled eggs, rabbit and toast?” Murphy froze. There were choices? Kay was asking him what he wanted? Kay seemed to sense his indecision, and turned back around, voice warm.

  
“Scrambled eggs it is, with a little rabbit on the side.” With that the house descended into silence, broken only by Kays soft humming and the sizzle of cooking in a pan. Murphy spent the time running over all the questions in his mind and deciding where to start. He hadn’t made much progress by the time Kay set a large wooden bowl in his lap, filled with food, and then all thoughts were swept away as he dug in. He barely managed to force himself to use the fork provided, but he hadn’t wanted to stick his bandaged hands right in the piping hot eggs. While he chowed down, Kay dragged the chair from the desk over to face the couch, and started in on his own bowl. He tried to supress a whine when he finished the last scrap, but judging by Kays quiet snort of laughter he didn’t quite succeed. He set the bowl down on the floor, as did Kay, and let the quiet sit for a second or two.

“So how does this work?” Murphy was proud of how strong his voice was, only a slight waver. Kay sat back in his chair, crossed one leg over the over and stretched his hands out in front of him with an audible crack of his knuckles.

  
“Ask me what comes to mind, I’m pretty much an open book at this point. And I’ll ask any questions I think of. If you don’t want to answer, just let me know” Kay finished his stretch. Murphy nodded, considering for a second.

  
“What exactly are you?” Kay tilted his head to one side.

  
“I’m a werewolf. Have you heard of werewolves before? Like in films or books?” Murphy nodded. The Arks library had had a bunch of older books on myths and legends, and Murphy had gone through a fair few of them when he was younger. And there had been a couple movies there, but most of them had been too ‘adult’ for him to watch before he had gotten locked up. “Okay. A lot of those got some aspects right. I can turn into a wolf. I’m stronger and have better senses than regular humans, I was human a long time ago and was turned, and we live far, far longer than humans do. However,” he held up one finger. “I do not turn into a ravenous slobbering monster. I do not hunger for the taste of human flesh, as previously established.” He shot Murphy a grin then. He rolled his eyes, but Kay took it in stride. “I am forced to turn on the full moon, but can also turn voluntarily. There’s a whole lot more detail I can go into if you want”

  
Murphy took a deep breath.

  
“Maybe later.” Kay inclined his head. “Are there more of you?”

  
“More werewolves?”

  
“Yeah” Kay shifted, bringing both legs down to rest on the floor and clasping his hands in front of him.

  
“Yes. A whole lot more. And not just werewolves, other magical creatures like the Fae and their Courts, hedge witches, hags, dryads, and others. Too many to easily name” Kay laughed, like he’d just told a joke.

  
Murphy put his head in his hands and tried to focus on not freaking out. Kay being so damn casual about everything definitely wasn’t helping.

  
“No Vampires?” He tried to joke.

  
“Them too, although with any luck you’ll never meet one” That got him to stop hiding behind his hands. Kay looked entirely too serious, angry even. Murphy would have asked why, but he sensed Kay wouldn’t give him a straight answer, and it seemed dangerous to dwell if such a topic could make the usually bright man look downright murderous. Murphy paused, gathering his thoughts.

  
“Why did you say you were ‘obligated to help me’?” Kay relaxed at that, and Murphy felt his own muscles relax.

  
“You up for a history lesson? I’ll try keep it short?” Kay asked. Murphy gestured, as if to say “go ahead” Kay took a deep breath. Murphy settled into the couch, paying as close attention as he could.

  
“Magical beings have always existed. In the beginning, we were pretty loose about interacting with humans, but as time wore on suspicion grew, and we decided it would be best to retreat, to let them think we were nothing but myth. Over the centuries, we would try and reveal ourselves, always ending in disaster or bloodshed, so we stopped trying. Our existence made the world a stranger, more dangerous place, and humanity has never been the best at dealing with change. Then the bombs fell. Those of us who survived” And here Kay paused, his features turning melancholy. In that moment, he didn’t know how, but he knew Kay had been there, and that he had lost something. It was a sobering thought. He had said that werewolves lived far longer than humans, but the fact that Kay was over 200 years old was still a shock to hear. Kay shook himself again, a full body shudder, and refocused his attention on Murphy.

  
“Those of us who survived called a Gathering to discuss what we should do. We found that there were humans still living in various bunkers and safe places, and a debate raged as to what was to be done about them. Some of the more callous of us thought that we should simply block up the exits and reclaim the earth” Kays deep frown gave away exactly what he thought about that idea, but it still chilled Murphy to his bones. “We eventually came to the agreement that there would never be a better time to try to integrate with human society as it remained. So, when areas were determined safe for humans to live, representatives were sent to the bunkers. We gave them two options, join with us, learn about us and live with us, and we would help them to survive in this changed world. Or refuse, and we would neither aid nor oppose them. But if they ventured into our lands, or attacked us, we would bring down a fury upon them.”

  
“How many refused?”

  
Kay grinned. “Not many. Those who did often found themselves on our bad side sooner rather than later. There are few, if any, of them left now. Those who survived joined the clans we established with the humans, the twelve Kru’s.” Kay tilted his head, considering, as his grin grew wider. “What did you call them last night? Grounders? Those were Trikru, the Woods clan” Murphy felt his pulse quicken at the mention of them, and quickly brushed those feelings aside. Kay still hadn’t answered his question.   
“So what does that have to do with me?”

  
“Well” Kay started, leaning forward. “I’ve seen the rocket your people came in, and judging by your reaction to all of this you had no idea we exist. So either we missed a bunker who has managed to survive without detection for the past 200 odd years and has now decided to make its presence known in an incredibly stupid way, or humanity managed to live on one of the Space stations. Am I right?” Murphy tried to pick his jaw up from the floor. Kay managed to lay it all out so easily, like it was a simple conclusion to reach. He really hadn’t expected that. He managed to pull himself together enough to reply.

  
“Uh, yeah. I’m from the Ark, 12 Space stations all pieced together. We were sent down to see if the earth is liveable” He said slowly, unsure of how much to give away, or how to explain it all. But again, Kay took it all in stride.   
“Okay, good to know. So, I figure the agreement from all that time ago is still in effect. You are part of a new people who have no idea what the earth is like now, even less so with the culture that’s developed. It’s still my” Kay winced, cutting himself off “Our duty, to extend that same knowledge and offer to you and your people.”

  
Murphy couldn’t take it anymore. Everything Kay was saying made a certain amount of sense, but referring to “his people” was getting to him.

  
“They’re not my people, not anymore at least” Murphy snarled. Kay recoiled, brow furrowing in confusion.

  
“What do you mean Murphy?” he asked, voice so gentle. Unbidden, Murphy felt hot tears start to form in his eyes. With a humourless laugh he responded.

  
“They kicked me out. I’m nothing to them anymore” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I probably need to stop posting these chapters at 3am, but i doubt i will. 
> 
> For those wondering, i've made the time gap between the bombs falling and the 100 landing 200 years on purpose. I've always felt it was a little weird how much things have decayed and Grounder culture has evolved in such a short timeframe. It's purely so it stops bugging the shit out of me, but that's what fics are for :p 
> 
> As always, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and comments are very much welcome. =)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An emotional conversation is had and Murphy is presented with a choice.

_Murphy couldn’t take it anymore. Everything Kay was saying made a certain amount of sense, but referring to “his people” was getting to him._

_“They’re not my people, not anymore at least” Murphy snarled. Kay recoiled, brow furrowing in confusion._

_“What do you mean Murphy?” he asked, voice so gentle. Unbidden, Murphy felt hot tears start to form in his eyes. With a humourless laugh he responded._

_“They kicked me out. I’m nothing to them anymore”_

 

 

“Why would they kick you out? Did something happen?” Kays voice was steady, but Murphy could see there was tension in every line of his body. He looked like he was very close to punching something. He shrank away, cold fear rushing through his body. What would Kay think if he told him? He’d probably be disgusted with Murphy like the others had been, would probably kick him out into the woods. But he couldn’t just lie to him. He got the sense that if he tried to spin a story Kay would know immediately he was bullshitting. And what if Kay believed him and then found out later? There were no good answers here.

And Murphy was so goddam tired. The past week alone had been one of, if not the hardest of his life. He wasn’t sure if he could handle any more rejection, especially not from Kay. He tried to wipe at the tears, but the helplessness and anger and pain overwhelmed him, and he felt the first of them fall, stinging as they passed the cuts on his cheeks. He turned his face away from Kay. He didn’t want to be so weak in front of him.

Kay made a wounded noise, and Murphy turned back in alarm to find he had gotten up from his chair to kneel beside the couch. His eyes were wide, and full of emotions Murphy couldn’t put names to. He clenched his fists, trying to will himself to stop crying, gritting his teeth at the pain of his ruined nailbeds pressing into his palms.

“Hey, no, you’ll hurt yourself” Kay murmured, carefully taking hold of Murphys hands and unclenching them, holding them gently as he rubbed soft circles into what little undamaged skin there was. Murphy tried to stifle a sob. It had been so long since someone had touched him like this, with the intention to soothe. It was almost too much. Instead of getting caught up in that, he forced himself to focus on getting his breathing under control. He didn’t look at Kay. He couldn’t face him just yet. Eventually his breath didn’t hitch every time he inhaled, and he pulled his hands out of Kays. He could feel Kays stare, those yellow eyes boring into his face.

Kay suddenly stood, and Murphys eyes flicked up to watch him retreat into the bedroom he’d woken in. He took the opportunity to scrub away the drying tear tracks and snot. He probably looked a fucking mess. Kay reappeared, carrying the water glass and went over to the sink to fill it up. Murphy let his head fall back against the couch. Kay brought the now full glass over and handed it to Murphy. He nodded slightly and took a sip, letting the cool water soothe his throat. Kay resumed his position kneeling beside the couch, taking the water and putting it off to the side when Murphy held it out.

“Murphy” Kay started, as Murphy picked at the bandages on his right hand. “Look at me” He commanded gently. Murphy stubbornly kept his eyes downcast. Kay sighed.

“Murphy, please” At that his eyes darted up in shock. Up till this point Kay had sounded calm and soothing, but now his voice was pained, the worry crystal clear. His eyes belied that same worry, but they softened as Murphy made eye contact. He smiled slightly.

“There we go. That’s better” He said simply. Murphy tried to wrench his gaze away again, but found he couldn’t. He tried to speak, to find an excuse for the break in composure, anything to say, but the words wouldn’t come. Kay took a deep breath, and his expression became pained once again, before smoothing over into that blank calm from before.

“Murphy, I want to help you” he said hesitantly “and in order to do that, I need to know what happened” Murphy bit his lip, willing himself not to lose it again. Inside, he cursed himself. Why was this affecting him so much? He didn’t want to rehash it all again, he really didn’t. But Kay needed him to, and Kay had given him so much already. He’d been so kind and supportive without even knowing what upset him so much. Kay was obviously a good person, so much better than Murphy.

He was suddenly filled with resignation. He would tell Kay, and if he rejected Murphy, then he would know for certain that everyone had been right, that Murphy was a monster and that he didn’t deserve this treatment anyway.

And so, Murphy told him. About how any crime was punishable by death on the Ark if you were above 18, and you were locked up if you were under that. How all the prisoners had been loaded into the Dropship and sent to earth, and the first few days where Murphy was one of the top dogs. And then he told Kay about Wells and his death, how everyone had blamed Murphy and why and what happened after with the crowd and the rope and Bellamy kicking the bucket out from under him. He kept his voice as steady as he could and stared down into his lap. Kay stayed quiet throughout, only speaking up to ask for clarification. Murphy had taken a glance at his face when he’d had to explain what Floating meant, and Kay had looked a terrible mixture of anger, disgust and grim resignation before he managed to school his features. Murphy had quickly looked down and stayed that way from then on.

His voice caught when it came to describing how he had choked on the end of that rope of seatbelts, and he could feel Kays gaze flick to his neck. He’d had to stop himself from flinching away hard and only partially succeeded. He leaned into describing the next part, letting the anger he’d felt when Charlotte had confessed consume the pain. By the end of that part he was practically snarling, hands fisted tight in the material of the couch. Kay fell silent there, not interrupting as his voice turned bitter describing how he’d tracked down Charlotte, and the confrontation at the cliff, and finally the jump that ended it all. His words faltered and he searched for that anger as he told him about Bellamy and being banished, how the punches had hurt but being left there on that cliff utterly alone had hurt more, but he only found emptiness.

“And then Trikru found you” He startled as Kay spoke. His voice was quiet but unreadable and Murphy shrunk away. He nodded, swallowing around the pit in his throat.

“How many days did they have you” He fisted his hands tighter in the couch, fingertips smarting with pain and this time Kay didn’t take hold of them. The emptiness inside him yawned wider.

“Three days”

He felt more than heard Kay’s heavy exhale. The moment seemed to stretch on forever, and he felt more tears smart at his eyes. This was it. Kay had heard everything and now he was going to kick Murphy out. He was probably just figuring out the best way to do it without getting Murphy’s worthless blood all over his rugs.

The moment broke. Kays hand came up and gripped Murphy by the chin, slowly turning his face towards Kay, with only as much forced as was needed. He went with the motion, not resisting. There was no point prolonging the inevitable. He finally met Kays eyes. The tears spilled over again, as he stared, eyes wide at Kay. Because he wasn’t snarling, or looking at Murphy in disgust. His eyes only beheld a deep sadness.

“Oh, Murphy” Kay murmured, shaking his head slowly, eyes never once leaving his face. And in one smooth motion he reached up and pulled Murphy into a hug.

He froze in place as Kays arms encircled him, present but not squeezing tight. Eyes wide but unseeing, he could do nothing but stammer unintelligibly.

“I, I don’t, why?” his voice sounded broken, as suddenly the void in his chest disappeared and in its place was a whirling maelstrom of emotions. He was lost, with only the distinct warmth of Kay and his hand rubbing circles on his back to anchor him.

“Why what?” Kay replied, voice still so fucking gentle and warm. He couldn’t handle this. He brought his hands up and started pushing at Kays chest, trying to get away.

“You should hate me” He spat out, all venom and loathing, and Kay pulled away, enough to rest his hands on Murphys shoulders and look him straight in the face.

“Murphy, I’m not going to deny that you made some mistakes, serious ones. But so did everyone else involved, and given the circumstances I can understand why. I’ve seen people do far more serious and horrible things for far less. I am not about to cast you out. You’ve suffered enough” Kays eyes blazed, and he spoke with such surety and conviction that Murphy felt the fire raging inside him quell. There was no hint of a lie in his face, no hesitation at all. Kay had heard all that Murphy had done and still wanted him here, had cared enough to reassure him and make sure Murphy knew he wouldn’t be kicked out. It was unthinkable, and yet here it was. Kay seemed to exist to turn every one of his assumptions on its head.

“How the fuck are you real?” He choked out before his brain could kick back into gear and stop him. Kay paused, rocking back on his haunches. A second passed, and then teasing grin split Kays face. He tilted his head, and said thoughtfully.

“I don’t know. Some might consider me almost…Supernatural” And then he honest to god winked.

Murphy couldn’t help the snort that burst from his chest, nor the small smile that followed and stayed. The joke was just so bad. What made it worse was the fact that Kay seemed stupidly pleased at managing to get that reaction out of Murphy. His smile could’ve blinded the sun. The tension from before was still present, those emotions still bubbling under the surface, but Murphy felt like he could breathe again. He would deal with the rest of it later. For now, he was content with the knowledge that Kay was still here, and that he didn’t seem to be leaving anytime soon.

 

And then Kay frowned, and Murphy felt his stomach drop. Kay sighed deeply, and shifted slightly before speaking up again, voice serious.

“I hate to ruin the mood again, but there is something you need to know Murphy.” What now? What could possibly be so important that it had to be brought up right now? “It’s about Trikru, and what they did to you”

Ah. Fuck.

“What they did to me? You mean apart from shredding me to pieces?” Murphy ground out.

“Yes” Kay said, tone measured but eyes flashing with anger. “There is a poison that they use in wartime. It spreads quickly, and is used to weaken opposing forces before an attack.” Murphy was confused for a second, before the realisation hit him like a bucket of ice water. He felt the blood drain from his face.

“They used it on me” Kays grim nod was all he needed for the despair to take him, his expression morphing into a resigned grimace. Of course, the universe couldn’t just let him have one fucking victory.

“I didn’t smell it until I started cleaning your wounds last night. I believe that’s why you passed out so suddenly. I’ve given you something that should have slowed the symptoms, but I can’t cure it, just delay it. They would’ve assumed you would go back to your” Kay stopped himself, shooting an apologetic look at him. “The camp. Something happened to move them into all out war” Murphy let his head thump back against the couch.

So, the Delinquents had managed to piss the Grounders off enough to send Murphy to wreak havoc on the camp. He was suddenly even more glad Kay had found him when he had. There was no way Bellamy wouldn’t have killed him once he found out. Not to mention he wanted nowhere near the soon to be bloodbath. He felt a small lick of concern for the others, before he pushed it down. He had more important things to worry about.

“What’ll it do to me?” he asked. Kay pursed his lips.

“You’ll start coughing up blood, and it will leak from your eyes and nose. You’ll feel weak and feverish. It will either take some time to pass, or it will get worse and worse until” Kay closed his eyes. Murphy already knew what he was going to say next. “You die painfully”

“So I just have to wait and see and hope it doesn’t kill me?” Of fucking course. Murphy couldn’t help the bitter laugh that bubbled up from within. Kay hadn’t reacted, still sitting there with his eyes closed, brow furrowed, but at that he bit his lip, eyes blinking open.

“There is another way.” Murphy sat up, leaning forwards.

“What? Tell me” Kay exhaled heavily, meeting Murphy’s searching eyes. He nodded once.

“I could turn you” Murphy frowned, confused.

“Turn me what?” Kay fixed him with an intense look, eyes wide open and no hint of a joke in them.

“Into a werewolf like me”

Murphy gaped. Before he could say anything, Kay held up a hand to stop him. He closed his mouth, settling back into the couch. Kay began, voice solemn and serious.

“I need you to know that this is not an offer I make lightly, Murphy. The turning will burn away the sickness and all your other injuries, but the change is irreversible, and intensely painful. And once it is done, you would be Pack, my Pack.” He paused “I do not know how to describe Pack to you. It is like family, but more. We will be linked, for as long as you choose to stay with me. You will no longer be human. You will be stronger, but your emotions will burn brighter, at least at first. You will find it hard to control and adjust to. If you are not killed, as far as we know you could live forever. I need you to know this Murphy”

Kay continued, still calm, but there was an undercurrent of tension to his voice. “I never had a choice, and it took me a long time to come to terms with my new existence. I need this to be your choice, not mine” He finished, voice insistent.

Murphy didn’t know what the fuck to say. It was all too much, the emotional whiplash. Kay had surprised him earlier, but it was nothing to now. He had barely known Kay a day, and now Kay was talking about binding them together. How could he offer this to Murphy?

“You don’t know me. Why would you want this?” He asked. He didn’t know what he was feeling right now. Was it hope or dread that was curling in his chest?

Kay just shrugged.

“I don’t need to know you. The wolf does.”

“That makes no sense” Murphy was getting frustrated now. Just as he thought he’d gotten this all figured out and sorted in his head, Kay had to go and do this. Kay fixed him with a look, a small smile gracing his face. He looked hopeful and determined, like Murphy was the answer to a question he had been seeking for a lifetime.

“Its hard to explain, but I just know that we could be Pack if that is what you want, like I know that the sky is blue and that water is wet. I knew it from the moment I met you, Murphy, and you haven’t proven me wrong so far.” Kay’s eyes glimmered, and he felt his heart almost stop in his chest. He almost said yes right on the spot, before his brain slammed back into gear.

“I need to think about this” His voice wavered, but Kay didn’t react. He only nodded, standing up and moving over to the desk, pulling the chair with him.

“You should have some time before the symptoms start. I am here if you have any questions or need anything.” He said with a reassuring smile, before turning and sitting at the desk, busying himself with a stack of papers.

With that, the room fell into quiet. There was only the wind in the trees and birdsong drifting through the open windows. And Murphy, left to wrestle with the decision now in front of him.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, these things keep getting longer. Can't say i'm complaining though, and i hope you guys aren't either :p 
> 
> It does make me want to go back and turn chapters 1&2 into one big first chapter. I'm gonna sleep on it and then decide. 
> 
> As always, this fic is UnBeta'd, and all comments and constructive criticism are welcome =)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Murphy makes his decision and tries to adjust to the consequences.

In the end, Murphy only had half an hour of contemplation before the symptoms manifested. He’d shifted slightly on the couch, trying to get rid of the pins and needles in his other leg, when his head started to feel heavy. His vision blurred, and he sluggishly put his hand up to rub at his eyes, only for it to come away stained in blood. He stared at it for a good few moments, uncomprehending, before the coughs started. Kay was at his side in an instant as he hunched over, splattering the couch with blood as he gagged and forced it out. It was over in half a minute. By that time, he’d managed to get blood all over the couch, his hand and the bandages on his legs.

“Well, shit” He panted, turning to Kay and trying to muster up more than a grimace. Unfortunately, Kays face reflected his own and his heart sunk.

“Well, shit is right. You should have had more time” Kay was worried, that much was obvious, and Murphy was right there with him. He still hadn’t gotten anywhere close to a decision, and now that the sickness had started to affect him, he was struck with the seriousness of the situation. This could be the last thing he remembered, hacking up his insides with Kay and salvation right there beside him. It stung, and again he felt the pull to accept, but a part of him rebelled. Shouldn’t he try and tough it out a bit more, wait to see if it would be fatal until he made a decision? He didn’t want to just give in like that.

“Sorry for messing up your couch” He managed to rasp out, feeling a sudden rush of shame. But Kay only gave an incredulous laugh, shaking his head.

“Believe me, I couldn’t care less about that couch right now. Have you made a decision yet?” Kay sounded unsure, which didn’t fit him at all. Murphy shook his head, and felt Kays sigh from where he was sitting. He wasn’t sure if it was a sigh of relief or worry. It could have been both.

“You should still have a bit more time before it gets serious. I’ll stay here”

And so he did. He sat patiently beside Murphy as he hacked up more blood, head pounding as he tried desperately to decide.

In the end, he lasted about another hour more. The coughing fits happened with more regularity, and Kay had had to turn him on his side so he wouldn’t choke on the blood. He was weak with pain, fever coursing through him when he finally gave in. He whispered it at first, obviously not loud enough for Kay to hear as he only turned to him, head cocked.

“What did you say Murphy?” Murphy sniffed once, took as deep a breath as he could, and repeated himself.

“I said, do it. Turn me” He managed to force out, slumping over with the effort of talking. Instantly Kay was tense, yellow eyes boring into his face, searching for any sign of hesitance.

“Are you sure, this is not a decision to take lightly”

“Yes, I’m fucking sure.” Murphy snarled back, feeling his eyes roll back. The last thing he saw was Kay nodding, face cycling through emotions Murphy didn’t have the energy to parse. He felt Kay pick him up, and carry him a short distance, settling him down again on a soft surface. His head lolled against whatever it was, limbs boneless as Kays warmth retreated. The bandage on his right wrist was rolled up. He heard shifting, and there was a pregnant pause. Murphy tensed, unsure what to expect.

He felt a sharp stabbing pain his wrist, clenching on both sides as massive teeth penetrated the skin. A hiss of pain escaped him. The pressure stayed, a moment passing before he was released. His wrist flopped back, body going numb as sense left him.

 

Murphy had forgotten something. That was the only coherent thought in his head. The rest was fuzzy, but he was sure that something was supposed to be happening, something important. He just couldn’t remember what. He tried to sit up, to move at all, but when he tried he felt strong arms push him down. He whimpered, not understanding. When he opened his eyes, his vision was blurry and indistinct, and he couldn’t make out much apart from a figure leaning over him. Those strong arms encircled him, pulling his head into the figures lap and started to card soft fingers through his hair. He felt weird and sluggish, and was having to fight to keep his eyes open.

“It’s okay Murphy, just relax. I’m here and you’re fine. I just need you to lie still for me, can you do that? Otherwise you’ll hurt yourself” Kay murmured and Murphy relaxed. Kay was here and he was helping and he wouldn’t let anything happen to him. The hand in his hair paused and he whimpered again, squirming to try and get closer. It had felt so nice.

“Murphy, did you hear what I said. I need you to be still _ci bach_ , please” Murphy didn’t know what some of those words meant, but he heard the exasperation and affection clear as day, although the rest of his mind was still so muddy. He stilled, and the hand in his hair returned. He stayed that way for some time, letting everything else fade into the murkiness, and just appreciating how nice it all was.

His wrist started to feel cold, so he tucked it into his side to warm up. But it didn’t. It just kept getting colder and colder, and it started creeping up and down his arm. The hand in his hair kept going and the soft voice became louder and tinged with sorrow.

“I know _ci bach_ , I know. I’m here, just focus on me.” And Murphy tried, but the cold just kept spreading and it was getting so uncomfortable. He winced as a shock of it bit into his wrist, and then kept coming. At this point his whole arm was freezing, but instead of it turning numb the feeling just kept intensifying, getting sharper. It felt like the blood in his veins was crystallising and turning jagged. He tried to stay still, to follow Kays request but it just hurt so much! He needed to warm up, to find a fire, to jump in it, anything to stop this spread of ice through his body.

He was clenching his teeth so hard they were starting to hurt enough to be felt over the pain, trying to keep his pained shouts in. Pain shot through his chest, and he couldn’t contain his involuntary yelp. He tried to clench his jaw again, and found something blocking it. The panic started to coalesce, but again Kays voice soothed him.

“It’s just so you don’t swallow your tongue, it’s okay” he tried to nod in understanding, but the ice kept creeping up into his jaw and it was soon forgotten as he panted and writhed. And then, as the final part of his body was consumed with cold, it subsided. Murphy unclenched his muscles, whining in relief. It was still there in the background but nowhere near as painful. He took a second to breathe, wondering why the voice had fallen silent and the hands in his hair had stopped.

And then he was screaming as the pain burst back tenfold. His back arched, every single muscle taut as a wire as jagged ice tore up every inch of his being. He lost track of everything, mind blank with the sheer agony coursing through his body. It ebbed again, giving him just enough time to sob, before it exploded back and he was screaming again. And so it continued, the cycle of pain and respite and pain again. Time lost all meaning, an eternity going by as he sobbed and writhed and begged for it to end. He blacked out several times, welcoming the relief of nothingness, but never for long enough. Eventually, he got used to it. The pain no longer surprised him, but it still came again and again just as violent.

And then it started to morph. The cold gave way to straining, as he felt every bone in his body pressing against his skin, trying to escape. The agony was exquisite, all encompassing. No longer was there ebb and flow, just the constant wrenching pressure. It built and built, and every time he thought that it had peaked, that his body would snap and it would be over, it kept going.

His wrist was the first to go. He felt the pressure there release, followed by the crisp, white hot feeling of his bone breaking. That first break started a chain reaction, and soon his body was being pulled in every direction, as his bones expanded, skin tearing and restitching itself back together over the new limb. Needles began their slow progress out of the tips of his fingers and toes, and he was helpless to do anything but sob as his body tore itself apart. His skin itched as fur pushed its way out of every pore, and his entire face lurched forward as though someone had taken it in one giant hand and stretched it out. His jaw crackled and his screams shifted deeper into harsh growls. He felt the void rushing up to embrace him, and had he any consciousness left he would have thanked it, as he embraced the numbing darkness.

 

The first thing he noticed was the soreness. Everything about him ached, like he’d just finished a strenuous workout. He whined, ears flat to the top of his head as he tried to tuck his snout further under his front paw. Then the rest of his senses joined the party and his mind was overwhelmed with all of the new information. His eyes flew open, darting around, he breathed in and the cauldron of smells bowled him over, there was just too much, he couldn’t concentrate. He tried to jump to his feet, but he stumbled, tripping over himself and he crashed to the ground again. His limbs felt like jelly, jelly that had been dropped from a great height and then smashed back together, and there seemed to be one too many. He made another attempt at standing and managed to get his paws under himself, pushing up. He stumbled again, but righted himself, claws scrabbling on the ground.

His head hurt, and it wasn’t getting better, too many things going on. He needed to get away. He needed to find somewhere dark and quiet to curl up and nurse his injures. He took two stumbling steps forward before he was stopped by a low growl that made all of the fur on his body stand up. His eyes flew about, and there the threat was, all burnished fur and scarred to hell, clearly in a defensive position. There was something niggling in the back of his brain, but he couldn’t focus on it right now, he had to get away from this situation and the noises and this clear danger. He backed away, hackles raised as he growled at the threat, and that was all it needed. It sprung at him, powerful hind legs kicking off, and all he managed to do was turn his body before it stuck him. They rolled as he desperately tried to shake it off, but it was bigger and stronger and it was latched on and he was panicking and.

Everything stopped. There were teeth in his neck, digging in, and he froze. A presence poked at his mind, and he tried to growl at it to stay away, tried to shake off whatever had his neck but he couldn’t move. The presence growled right back, and poked harder. It poked and poked and then the dam broke and he was flooded with the presence and it was talking very loudly. He whined.

 _“Finally, took you long enough.”_ The presence laughed, and he was about to try and shake it out again, but it started to radiate waves of calm. He felt his muscles go lax, slumping onto the dirt with the teeth still buried in his ruff. The calm it was sending him was undercut with amusement and relief and excitement, and it was like he could almost taste it. He opened his jaws to see if he could actually taste it, before snapping them together with a whine. The senses doubled, all clamouring for his attention before the calm drowned them out, and he leaned into it.

 _“Do you remember me pup? It’s Kay, and you’re Murphy and you’re a Wolf. And what you need to do right now is chill.”_ Murphy could’ve yipped with happiness, but that would mean opening his mouth again and he didn’t want that! Kay was here and he was the presence and Murphy did remember him and he remembered himself and how Kay had found him in the woods. He also remembered the pain, and he tensed again.

 _“Nope, knock that off. Not a good idea to think about that now”_ Kay said and he whined again at his authoritative tone, but he was right, so instead he focused on the calm Kay was still sending him and the teeth at his neck, which were starting to feel kind of nice. He felt Kay laugh again, but he didn’t hear it which was confusing but everything was confusing and too much.

 _“Alright, we’re going to fix that pup, you just gotta do what I say, okay?”_ Murphy tried to nod but the teeth in his neck stopped him but it was okay because Kay laughed and he felt warm and he knew that Kay knew what he meant.

 _“First, I want you to just focus on me. Only me, can you do that Murphy? Just block everything else out. Nothing else matters apart from us”_ Murphy tried, and it took him a few attempts because he kept getting distracted, but Kay was patient and the pressure in his neck never let up even a little bit and eventually he managed to block it all out.

 _“Good job.”_ Kay’s voice glowed with approval and he felt his tail wag. _“Now, I want you to start in your left paw. I want you to focus on it, to feel how it feels, to flex it. Then slowly move up your arm, and then eventually to every part of your body. Don’t try to rush it, and just keep focusing on only that part and me.”_  

Again, it took Murphy far longer than he wanted. He just kept getting caught up in the feeling of dirt in his fur, and his alarm that he had fur at all, and he’d spent god knows how long just on his tail because it just felt so weird. But Kay nudged him back every time he wavered, and soon he stopped feeling quite like he was about to jump out of his skin, or fall over his own limbs.

 _“You’re doing so good pup, so good. Now, I want you to focus on what you can smell. Let it wash over you, let it all drift past you. Don’t hang onto them, just feel it and then let it go and go to the next one”_ And so they went slowly through all the senses, through smell and touch and taste and then eventually sight. That took the longest, as it was the most different from the others. The world around him seemed less 3d, flatter, and the colours were far more muted, but everything was also far sharper and clearer. It was very confusing. Murphy kept jumping ahead, trying to identify too much at once and getting overloaded, but Kay was there without fail to guide him back on track, and to praise him when he finally got it down.

 _“You’ve done amazing pup. I think you’re ready for me to let you go now”_ Kay intoned, the warmth oozing through Murphy, but his words still sent a sharp spike of fear through him and he whined. He didn’t want Kay to leave! Kay shook Murphy slightly with his teeth, but he responded with the same amused tone.

 _“I’ll still be here like this, in your mind. I’m just going to stop holding you down. You’ll do fine, I know you will”_ Murphy calmed at his words, tail whipping back and forth. It was good that Kay wasn’t going to leave him, and he believed that Murphy was ready and he would not let Kay down, he just couldn’t! Filled with determination, he barked out an affirmative, and felt Kays affectionate growl through his jaws latched around Murphys neck.

Kay slowly detached his teeth, and Murphy felt the panic flare up before Kay smothered it with radiating calm, and then there was nothing holding him down. Kay still stayed close, hovering nearby, but not touching him. He pushed himself onto his paws, a little too fast, and almost overbalanced before Kay leaned in to prop him up. Once Murphy felt steady, he turned his head and licked Kays shoulder in thanks. Kay reciprocated, smoothing down the ruffled fur on his ruff and soothing the punctures there.

 _“You’re doing fantastic pup. Try and take a step”_ Kay urged, moving away again. Murphy hesitated. What if he screwed it up? But the radiating calm morphed to encouragement, and under Kays watchful eye Murphy raised his paw and placed it down again. He shifted forwards, putting weight onto it. He didn’t fall over. Joy and pride overcame him and he bounded forward a few steps, knocking into Kay who nudged him back with his snout. Murphy turned back and padded forward a few more steps, feeling like he could burst. Instinctively, he knew there was only one true way to let it out.

He tipped his head upwards, sitting down with his hind legs, and sought the Moon. Her silvery surface cast its beams over his face and the feeling burst out of him, as Murphy howled for the first time. Kay let his first one peter out before padding over to sit beside him, joining his voice and twining it with Murphys, and together they serenaded the glowing night sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought i would wait a few days before writing this chapter, but damn did it insist on being written. This was a really fun one, and i'm excited to explore more of my version of Werewolves throughout the next chapters. Also, we've passed the 10 thousand word mark, making this officially the longest fic i've ever written. And lucky for you guys, i'm only just getting started ;P 
> 
> ci bach, pronounced Key baa-ch, is roughly Welsh for Puppy, literally small dog. 
> 
> As always, this fic is UnBeta'd, and comments and critique are welcome =)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Murphy explores his wolf side more, and decides on a plan of action.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Man, it's been a while. Life came at me pretty fast, but it's mostly under control now. Hope the chapter was worth the wait =)

Time fell away as they howled. Eventually, they ceased, and Murphy felt far more centred. It was all still a lot and a bit confusing but he thought he was starting to get the hang of this being a wolf thing. Now that their moonlight vigil was done, he was struck with the desire to run, to explore this territory and feel the wind in his fur. He lurched to his feet, still not quite steady yet but getting there, and took a deep breath, taking in all the scents, looking for something interesting. Dirt, trees, some water, the house, boring…there’s something! Something small and furry and mouth-watering and he didn’t think twice before launching off in the direction of his prey. Kay barked in alarm behind him, before giving chase. He quickly caught up, and together they threaded through the trees, picking up speed as the land flashed by.

_“Well now, if you wanted to run you just had to say so!”_ Kay laughed, as his wolf form cleared a fallen tree with ease. Murphy fumbled a little bit in getting over it, but it was quickly forgotten in the thrill of the chase, as was the prey he was originally after. Soon it was just the earth under his paws and the undergrowth caressing him as he tore through.

They reached a clearing, and Kay drew slightly abreast. Murphy saw his chance. Altering his course, he lept perpendicularly and crashed into Kays side, sending them tumbling over each other. They fell apart, and Murphy staggered to his feet too slow, as Kay was already launching himself at Murphy, body checking him with one massive shoulder. He lost his balance with a yelp and tried to scrabble back up but Kay pounced, driving Murphy further into the ground. Again, his teeth latched onto Murphy’s neck and his brain shut down, body going limp.

_“Good try pup. Next time, plan for the follow through, not just the leap.”_

Murphy could tell he was trying for stern, but he couldn’t hide the tinges of pride and amusement. Murphy whined, trying to wriggle his way out of Kay’s grasp. After a couple seconds of struggle, he was unceremoniously released, as Kay primly danced back out of snapping distance. He got back to his feet and shook the dirt from his coat. It was starting to seep through the layers with all of the roughhousing and it felt pretty uncomfortable. Kay gave him just enough time to get settled again before speaking up.

_“Alright, we need to head back. You up to finding the way?”_ His tone was nonchalant but it just oozed challenge, and Murphy was not one to back down from a challenge. His ears perked up and he gave an affirmative yip. He could absolutely do this! He just needed to figure out how to get back. He hadn’t been paying attention to the direction or any landmarks, so going by sight was out. Maybe the position of the stars? He looked up, but the view was obscured by the trees. He sagged slightly. Pacing seemed to help him think, so he started a track around Kay, who had sat back on his haunches and was watching patiently, head cocked slightly to one side. He snorted. Looks like that was both a human and wolf thing.

He had to think, there must be something he was missing, otherwise Kay would’ve just led him back. And then it hit him. He knew Kays scent, as instinctively as he knew how to draw breath. It was easy to pick out from all the other scents of the forest, so he just had to follow the freshest of Kays scent tracks and that would lead them back. He was a fucking genius. He howled his victory to the sky, and then set off, nose low to the ground. Kay seemed to pick up on Murphy’s method and followed a distance behind, which helped to not confuse the scents. It took some time, especially with Murphy being so easily distracted. It wasn’t his fault everything was just so damn funny smelling and interesting! But eventually, just as the sun was starting to crest the horizon, they padded back into the open space by Kay’s cabin.

Murphy collapsed in a big heap of furry limbs, so exhausted by the events of the night. Kay came over and nosed at his back.

_“C’mon you big lump, just a little bit more and then you can rest”_

Murphy whined in protest, ears flat and tongue lolling out. Kay rolled his eyes, and moved to lick his snout. It was surprisingly nice, but also not surprising? Like it should have been weird but it wasn’t and Murphy didn’t have the energy to parse it so he just let it happen. Kay huffed right in his face.

_“I mean it Murphy, you need to pay attention to this.”_ With a series of whimpers and growls Murphy heaved his way to his feet. This had better not take too long, the ground was pretty comfortable and a nap sounded like heaven right now. Kay gave him one more quick rasp of his tongue over his jaw in acknowledgement, before stepping away.

_“It’s time you learn how to change back to human form. We have much to discuss and communication will be somewhat difficult before you get the hang of it. Now, it will sound simple, but don’t be discouraged if it takes you a while. It took me many, many years to gain full control of my changes. But I am here and I will be helping you every step of the way. Understand?”_ Murphy whined, nodding his head, every part of him perked up and focused on what Kay was saying.

_“Good. What you need to do is to picture your human body, everything that you see when you look in a mirror and how you feel when you’re running and eating and going about your life. Build the picture of yourself from the ground up, and then Will it to happen, for that to be you with every fibre of your being. You need to want it, to keep fighting towards it even if it hurts. Can you do that for me Murphy?”_ Kay’s gaze was nothing short of piercing, locking him in place. He yipped another affirmative, and the gaze softened, becoming encouraging.

_“Alright. Take your time, don’t try and rush it. I’m here if you need me”_ And with that Kay lay down, head on his paws several paces away. And Murphy started his work.

It was a slow and frustrating process. Every time he thought he’d gotten close enough to try, that he’d gotten this mental picture thing down, he’d be proven wrong by the fact that fucking nothing would happen. He’d stand there, straining mind and muscles and thinking so loud about Being Human and yet there was nothing. A couple times he thought he’d felt something, bones shifting and creaking ever so slightly, but it yielded only momentary discomfort. The sun made its slow process up into the sky, dawns rays filtering over everything and lending it all new dimensions, but Murphy forced himself to concentrate on this. He had to get it down, this was getting ridiculous!

_“Murphy, you’re getting too tense. Walk it off for a second”_ Kay intoned after who knows how long, and Murphy obeyed with a low growl of frustration. He paced around the yard, shaking his fur like he was shaking off the dirt and mud from before, like it would shake off the tension accumulated in his shoulders. He resumed his place in front of Kay, and took a deep breath, taking in all of the new scents rushing in from the increased activity of daybreak. Sorting through the scents took his mind off of the problem, and soon he felt calm enough to continue.

Obviously, his previous tack wasn’t quite working, so Murphy set to finding himself another way to look at it. He settled on memories. After all, it was the perfect blend of the emotions he’d been feeling as a human and knowledge of how his body had moved. It was worth a shot at the least. Next was finding a memory. He considered something on the Ark, but discarded the idea. It seemed so long ago now that he’d been there, and nothing about the Ark made him miss being in human form. The events at the camp were also summarily thrown out, too many bad memories, same with the Grounders. So, all that left was the last few days with Kay. He thought of the shock of meeting him, how his body had acted before he’d fully processed it. He thought of the coughs that had captured him and the soothing water and sturdy hands holding him steady. He thought of the feeling of being wrapped in warm sheets and fluffy pillows and the simple comfort of a hand holding his. He felt the pain of his injuries, and the relief of Kays care. Dimly, he felt the awful sensation of his bones cracking and shifting, but he stayed strong, buoyed by a wave of calm and determination from Kay. He thought of woven rugs under his bare feet and an arm around him. And then he was overtaken by the pain as Kays presence faded to a single tiny thread. The transformation was no less uncomfortable as the first change, if mercifully quicker, and soon Murphy was a panting, naked mess crumpled in the grass.

“There you go, you did so well, it’s over now” He felt strong arms enveloping him and pulling him gently into an embrace. Kay must have shifted back as well during his change. Murphy immediately felt embarrassment well up inside of him. He’d acted like such an idiot as a wolf, like a kid hopped up on too much sugar. And Kay had been inside his head and Murphy was pretty sure he’d heard every single fucking thought he’d had and wasn’t that just fantastic. He brought his hand up to cover his face and groaned. And then froze because he was in Kays lap and they were both very much naked.

Murphy couldn’t scramble away quick enough, and Kay let him go with a light rumble of a chuckle that he very specifically did not think about as he tried to cover himself as best he could. He chanced a look at Kay to find him already upright and heading in the direction of the house. Murphy hadn’t seen it from the outside yet, and the damn thing looked even more picturesque than he’d imagined, all rustic rough edges, with a porch wrapping around the front side. A chimney peaked slightly over the other side of the mismatched tiled roof.

A pair of pants connected with Murphy’s head, and he sent a glare towards a laughing Kay as he pulled them on, not caring enough to ask about underwear. They were loose and comfy and obviously too big for him, but the drawstring at the waist was enough to keep them up and keep him decent. The tiredness from the wolf seemed to have transferred over to human Murphy, and he fought back a yawn as he headed in towards the house. Kay had pulled on his own pair of pants and was settled on one side of a wicker cushioned bench on the porch. Rather than sit so close to Kay, he chose to perch up on the railing across from him.

“How you feeling?” Kay asked, posture loose and relaxed, yellow eyes gleaming in the early morning sun. Murphy suddenly wondered if his eyes had changed to that colour as well. It didn’t look entirely natural, and he wouldn’t be surprised. He’d have to remember to ask that later, or better yet track down a mirror. He took stock of his body, and was pleasantly surprised to find all his wounds healed, with only faint scars to show.

“Tired, but apart from that I’m great, better than i’ve been in a long time” His voice was clear and steady, no sign of the parched scratchiness from before. He very pointedly did not mention his mental state, which he knew Kay took note of from the knowing look he was giving Murphy, but he mercifully didn’t prod. He honestly wouldn’t know where to fucking begin to sum up his thoughts.

“Hell of a thing, isn’t it? We’ll have time to explore it more, get you comfortable and confident with everything you can do, but for now we should just talk. Do you have any questions for me?” Kay asked calmly, but Murphy caught him tense, as though bracing himself for something awkward. Well, Kay was giving him this opening, might as well bite the fucking bullet.

“When I was in wolf form, it was like… everything was so exciting and special and I was all over the place. Will it be like that every time?” He grit out hesitantly, trying to control the blush spreading across his cheeks. He really hoped he wouldn’t turn into a dopey idiot every time he shifted. Kay grinned, shaking his head and Murphy felt palpable relief at that.

“Nah, everything’s always heightened the first time. You’ll be easily distracted for the first while till you get a bit more of a handle on yourself, but it won’t ever be that bad”

“Oh thank fuck” he said frankly, and Kay laughed so hard he almost fell off the couch. Murphy watched him, one eyebrow quirked in confusion and waiting for an explanation of exactly what was so hilarious, till he’d calmed down.

“Ah, you just looked so grim and annoyed Murphy, like a raven just pulled out your tail” Murphy could only sigh, as Kays grin grew wider. Murphy worried his lip between his teeth as he considered what to ask next.

“What happens now?”

“Now? I’ll tell you everything critically important to know, about being a wolf and the pack bond, all of that. And then we’ll go over The Kru’s and what we need to do next, both in the coming days and in the long term. I’m sure we’ll fit a meal or two in there somewhere, running as a wolfs hard work and you must be starving right now. All that sound good?” Kay leaned forward, so damn gentle and caring, actually asking Murphy what he thought about the plans like Murphy actually had a say. And the most devastating thing was that Murphy knew that he meant every word. He’d been in Kays head, or rather Kay had been in his, and he’d never once faltered or shown any different to Murphy, not even when he’d attacked him. It was almost enough to draw tears into his eyes. Almost.

But Murphy was done crying. He was a fucking Werewolf now, and he was done with being weak and powerless and letting his emotions get the better of him. Now it was time to get shit done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I debated writing more of the conversation into this chapter, but i think it'll work better with the next. That ones gonna be a whole lotta exposition, hope you guys are hype for that :p 
> 
> As always, comments are always welcome, and i wanna thank you guys for the support you've shown so far, it's far exceeded my expectations.


End file.
